It is known that in animals and man, after the intake of starchy foodstuffs and beverages, hyperglycaemias arise which are caused by a rapid splitting of the starch by amylases of the digestive tract according to the following equation: EQU Starch .sup.amylase, maltose Glucose
These hyperglycaemias are particularly strong and long-lasting with diabetics. With adipose subjects the alimentary hyperglycaemia frequently causes a particularly strong insulin secretion which in turn leads to increased fat synthesis and reduced fat degradation. Following such a hyperglycaemia, a hypoglycaemia frequently occurs even with adipose persons of sound metabolism, as a result of hyperinsulinaemia. It is known that both hypoglycaemia and foodstuff sludge remaining in the stomach assist the production of gastric juice which in turn causes, or favors, the development of a gastritis, a duodenal ulcer or a gastric ulcer.
Accordingly, in the treatment of conditions in which there is an indication of obesity, adipose, hyperlippidemia (atheriosclerosis), diabetes, pre-diabetes, gastritis, gastric ulcer, duodenal ulcer, and/or caries, it is necessary that such glycoside-hydrolase enzyme be inhibited or suppressed in such a manner that they cannot further catalyze the breakdown of starchy foodstuffs and beverages for subsequent utilization by the body and thus further promoting or worsening of the condition being treated.
While it was proposed heretofore to inhibit various amylases of the digestive tract or pancreas, for example, by the use of various substances, such as, low and high molecular weight organic substances, a distinct disadvantage of these proposed substances, as well as others known in the art is that either the inhibition of amylases is non-specific or that the inhibiting activity of the substance is slight, especially with respect to pancreatic amylases except at very high ratios of inhibitor to enzyme.